Friday's News & Ideas - 11/10/2023

Group of Black Christian leaders call for cease-fire in Gaza
Religion News Service: Asked about Biden’s calls for “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting, Barbara Williams-Skinner, CEO and co-founder of Skinner Leadership Institute, said: “It’s not adequate.”

Palestinian Christians call on Justin Welby to “speak truth to power”
The Guardian: A letter to archbishop of Canterbury expresses concern about Anglican leaders’ support for the UK stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

Pastor’s suicide brings grief, warnings of the dangers of outing amid erosion of LGBTQ+ rights
The Associated Press: A small-town mayor and pastor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland took his own life two days after a conservative news site exposed social media posts where he appeared in women’s clothing, a wig and makeup.

All is calm: Scripture’s radical call to rest during Advent
Sojourners: Five suggestions for stillness despite the busyness of the season.

Vineyard calls for investigation of pastor who left*
Christianity Today: An inquiry at Alan Scott’s former church found evidence of manipulation, narcissism, and spiritual abuse.

The Spark

What skulls told us
The pseudoscience phrenology swept the popular imagination, and its practitioners made a mint preying on prejudices, gullibility, and misinformation, JSTOR says.

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